How Common Is Cervical Cancer?

According to the World Health Organization, cervical cancer is the fourth most frequent among women. Around 570,00 new cases were reported, and 311,000 people lost their lives because of the disease in 2018.
To reduce the risk of getting cervical cancer, it is crucial to know it in detail. This blog covers basic information on the same.
Who is Most at Risk of Developing Cervical Cancer?
Infection with a high-risk strain of the human papillomavirus (HPV) is a known cause of cervical cancer. However, additional variables may have a role in developing cervical cancer, as not all HPV-infected persons acquire cancer.
Certain risk factors for cervical cancer have been found, including a woman’s age, ethnicity, and family history.
- Smoking tobacco
- HIV infection
- Suppression of the immune system
- Past or current Chlamydia infection
- Overweight
- Using oral contraceptives for a long time (although the risk returns to normal when the contraceptive pills are discontinued)
- Having three or more full-term pregnancies
- Having a full pregnancy before the age of 17
- A family history of cervical cancer
What is the First Cervical Cancer Symptom?
Symptoms and indicators of cervical cancer in its first stages are seldom visible. In more advanced cervical cancer, there are several signs and symptoms, including:
- After intercourse, between cycles, or menopause, a woman may have vaginal bleeding
- A foul-smelling, red, watery discharge from the vagina
- Pelvic or intercourse discomfort
Is Cervical Cancer Usually Fatal?
Even while it occurs less often now than in the past, cervical cancer may still result in death in certain cases. In recent years, greater adoption of the Pap test has been the primary cause of fewer persons dying from cervical cancer.
What Happens to Your Body When You Have Cervical Cancer?
Cervical cancer occurs when cells in a woman’s cervix, the tube that links her uterus and vagina, become abnormal.
This malignancy may affect their cervix, which can move to other regions of their body (metastasize). The lungs, liver, bladder, vaginal canal, and rectum are the most common sites of metastasis.
Cervical cancer starts with abnormal alterations in the tissue of the cervix. The majority of cases have been connected to HPV infection. HPV is a virus that may cause skin warts, genital warts, and other skin problems in different ways.
Others have been related to malignancies of the vulva, vagina, penis, anus, tongue, and tonsils, among other places.
What’s the Most Common Age to Get Cervical Cancer?
Cervical cancer is more common in women in their midlife, with most cases occurring in women between the ages of 35 and 65, with the average age at diagnosis being 50 years old. It develops in just a small percentage of women under 30.
Many older women are unaware that the danger of acquiring cervical cancer remains high even when they reach their golden years. In women over 65, cervical cancer accounts for more than 20 percent of all cases.
The incidence of these tumors, on the other hand, is very low among women who have been receiving regular cervical cancer screenings since they were younger than 65.
Empower Yourself Against Cervical Cancer
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Can Cervical Cancer be Cured Completely?
If cervical cancer is detected at an early stage, it can be completely cured with the following treatment options:
- Surgery: Surgery may treat stage 1 and stage 2 cervical malignancies. Cervical cancer might be prevented from spreading if all or portions of the cervix, uterus, fallopian tubes, part of the vagina, or ovaries are removed.
- Radiation Therapy: From outside or inside, high-frequency radioactive beams treat malignant cells rather than kill them. Radioactive rays are given to the cancerous area from outside the body for a few minutes at a time. It’s possible to transmit radioactive rays from within one’s body by inserting an empty cylinder packed with radioactive material into the vagina. There are a lot of adverse effects associated with this kind of therapy.
- Chemotherapy: Some medications are administered intravenously and at home, while others are administered intravenously and must be administered at a medical facility. As a potentially dangerous side effect, the medicine may also harm good cells that grow and divide quickly, such as blood cells, hair follicle cells, and cells in the digestive system lining. Due to damage to blood cells, a person may have symptoms such as fatigue and hair loss. Chemotherapy is often used in conjunction with radiation treatment.
Also, Read- How Do You Prevent Cervical Cancer
Can cervical Cancer be Prevented?
Cervical cancer develops from precancerous stages. It takes years to shift from precancerous to actual cancer. Test like pap smear, colposcopy, HPV DNA, can identify at risk people/ or precancerous stage when done annually. Treatment in precancerous stages (CIN1, 2,3) can prevent cervical cancer development.
Conclusion
A gynecologic oncologist (a specialist who specializes in cancers of women’s reproductive organs) will be part of a woman’s treatment team for cervical cancer. There are numerous aspects to consider when it comes to the best therapy for cervical cancer, including the stage of the illness, the patient’s age, her overall health, and her desire to have children in the future.
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